The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-20
THE RED SCAR.


ruins of that strange land for New
York paper, and had turned my fac,
homeward, when | received a Letter
requesting me to wait at San Pablo fol
further instructions.
San Pablo interested me. 1t was 6
sleepy old Spanish village, with big
cathedral, plaza with the usual collec
ton of adobe houses around it, and a
back ground of snow capped mountains
rising boldly from landscape of torrid
summer heats.
1t was here that l met with the most
puzzling experience of my life. l was
returning from a solitary ride among
the hills. The declining sun warned me
that darkness would overtake me if l
did no make haste, but as L could see
in the distance the massive towers of
the cathedral, felt no uneasiness.
AT one place my lonely road or mule
path skirted deep ravine, which was so
choked up with thick, scrubby under
| growth that [ was unable 10 see any
thing but tangled mass of foliage aud
vines.
"a good place for an ambush" 1 said
to myself.
The idea impressed me so that spur
red my mule, but to my surprise the
| usually docile animal stood stock still.
"Senorr"
The voice rang out from the depths of
the ravine, but 1t seemed to be at my ear.
Senior, haiti"
AS l had halted, on account of my
mules obstinacy, the command was
unnecessary.
STAND aside!" 1 shouted, land let
me pass" Just then l saw protruding
out of the bushes in front of me the
the muzzle of an old-fashioned blunder-
buss,a f1int-lock weapon in very general
use in Yucatan.
A shudder ran down my spinal col
umn. l was unarmed and the blunder-
buss was about the size of a small
cannon. Resistance was not to be
thought of.
Il surrender" l cried to my unseen
foe.
1.-The senior is sensible" said the man
with the big gun, as he leaped into the
road.
A rapid, but close scrutiny of my cap
tor showed me young man of medium |
height, whose 1.-the sinewy figure indi- |
Gated exceptional activity and Strength. |
He wore homespun cotton suit, and |
the face under his sombrero had the
brown tinge common to all the Yucca
tans who were of mixed Spanish and
Indian blood. The mans right temple
was disfgured eby a peculiar scar,
shaped like crescent. and of fiery
red color. Beyond this scar there was
nothing remarkable about his face. He
had regular features, thin cruel lips,
and restless eyes like beads of Jet.
~ will hold up my hands, and you
can go through me-" said 1 pleasantly.
You don't want the mule. do yo?"
The senior is wrong. 1 do want the
mule" replied the robber in q quiet
tone. The senior will
have the kindness to dismount and hold
up his hands" ----.-,- -. -
As there was no use in wasting words, T
L obeYed without objection. The robber
with quick jerk drew my hands behind
me and pinioned them with q strap of
Then he bound me securelysE
to tree. After finishing these prelim-
lnaries he emptied my pockets of the
loose silver in them.
disgust.
All have" l answered. |
The senior has my sympathy said
'he rascal with vicious grin. But the
mule is something"
The robber turned my steed to the
light about and jumped into the saddle
"Let the senior be patient" he said as
ne rode of. Some traveller will release
him, and it is not far to San Pablo. Give
tranclsco's compliments to tie alcaIde.
Adios, senior, adios!" And waving his
hand he disappeared around bend in
,he road. 1,.--5 szt-.sl'-i =
So this was the noted highwayman,
francisco, for whose head the governor
had offered heavy reward There was
consolation in the thought, No one
you'd blame me for sarrendering to a
daredevil who was considered match {
or any three men in Yucatan. sacrI3 .
But my train of thought was soon '
Interrupted IN a pleasant manner. Fran
'lsco mad been gone, perhaps, a quarter [
appearance leading his little burro along i
he narrow path. Hailing the stranger /
induced him to cut nv bonds and
'elease me. The muleteer told me that s
had,escaped lightly. He gave Fran Il
iscO b very black character. =. m i
IF this place had not been in sight of t
san Pablo" said he, "the cutthroat b
would have killed you" - t
The next morning the little town of t
'an Pablo was in q state of eruption. p
den, women and children rushed pell v
nell through the streets uttering wild
Iells. looked out of the window several .
lines, but could not make up nv mind il
whether it was revolution or holiday. C
l threw myself on the bed and tried to "
et into doze, and was succeeding \
Then the alcaIde rushed into nv room b
nth bevy of his retainers and pulled t
ne into sitting posture. "The senor's
ommards have been obeyed, . SAID the
lcade, e1citedly. The dog of a bandit
as been arrested, and will be tried b
efore me at once. But we need the
enor's testimony. Without the senior Ct
re can do nothing" - 81
1t took me almost no time to dress o
nd accompany the little brown alcalde 81
nd his browner alguazlls to the preten- p
Gus stone ediice on the plaza called o.
ne palace of justice 81
mad never seen criminal trial in a y
lexican court, and every thing was new p
, me. The alcalde presided with great OIL
lgn1ty. He was assisted by prosecut- al
lg officer, and several advocates, as CT
ley call their lawyers. were also on So
and. The court room was filled with
crowd of aaper oil f,Il-;,u ca